Database query languages are computer-readable languages used in querying, updating, and managing relational databases. Database query languages have been evolving in terms of improved developer productivity and optimization of transparent database access. However, possibly due to the richness of features and constructs, there are several aspects of these languages that are currently underutilized by developers.
The underutilization of these features may be due to developers being unaware of the full set of features supported by the database query languages, or reluctance to modify existing code that may not utilize the language in the most efficient manner due to fear of destabilizing the running code or the effort involved in testing the changes. Another possibility is that the complexity of existing code may prevent developers from arriving at an expected level of understanding needed to optimize query statements appropriately. Yet another possibility is that developers may choose simple yet inefficient queries instead of complex optimally efficient queries. In any event, the net effect is that database-intense applications that are coded with inefficient code continue to perform poorly despite the potential for optimization from a language and infrastructure perspective.